Fiber optic connector with interlocking crimp sleeve
AssigneeCommScope Technologies LLC
InventorAdam Verne BROUGHTON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fiber optic connector has a plug region at a first axial end and an anchor region at a second axial end. The anchor region includes first interlock members which protrude outwardly from a support portion. A crimp sleeve can be disposed over the anchor region of the plug connector so that a surrounding portion (e.g., a jacket and/or strength members) of the cable extends between the crimp sleeve and the first interlock members. When the plug connector is assembled, second interlock members can be formed in the crimp sleeve to extend radially into gaps between the first interlock members to enhance retention of the surrounding portion of the cable therebetween.
Claims30
A fiber optic connector comprising:
- a plug connector extending along a longitudinal axis between a first and a second end, the plug connector including a support portion towards the second end and a series of first interlock members protruding outwardly from the support portion, the first interlock members being spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis by gaps, each of the first interlock members having an outer surface extending along the longitudinal axis between opposite first and second ends, a first transition surface extending transverse to the longitudinal axis between the support portion and the first end of the outer surface, and a second transition surface extending transverse to the longitudinal axis between the support portion and the second end of the outer surface;
- an optical cable including an optical fiber and a surrounding portion, the optical fiber extending through the second end of the plug connector to the first end so that an end face of the optical fiber is accessible at the first end of the plug connector, the surrounding portion extending over the second end of the plug connector;
- and
- a crimp sleeve disposed over the second end of the plug connector so that the surrounding portion of the cable extends between the crimp sleeve and the first interlock members, the crimp sleeve including second interlock members extending radially into the gaps between the first interlock members to sandwich the surrounding portion therebetween.
-16. (canceled)
A plug connector comprising:
- a plug body extending between a first and a second end, the plug body being configured to receive an optical fiber;
- and
- a rear body extending along a longitudinal axis between a first and a second end, the rear body including an insertion portion at the first end and a support portion at the second end, the support portion defining a jacket retention section and a strength member retention section that is disposed along the longitudinal axis between the insertion portion and the jacket retention section, the strength member retention portion having a transverse cross-dimension that is smaller than a transverse cross-dimension of the insertion portion, and the jacket retention section having a transverse cross-dimension that is smaller than the transverse cross-dimension of the strength member retention section, the rear body including first and second ribs extending radially outwardly from the strength member retention section, the first rib being axially spaced from the second rib by a gap, the gap being larger than an axial width of the first rib and being larger than an axial width of the second rib.
A method of terminating an optical cable at a fiber optic connector, the optical cable including an optical fiber surrounded by a jacket and strength members, the fiber optic connector including a plug body and a rear body, the method comprising:
- positioning the cable at a second end of the rear body including routing the optical fiber through a passage defined in the rear body and routing the strength members over an exterior of the second end of the rear body so that the strength members extend across a series of flattened structures protruding radially outwardly from the exterior of the rear body;
- positioning a crimp sleeve over the strength members at the second end of the rear body;
- positioning the second end of the rear body and the crimp sleeve within a crimping station of a die set including aligning an edge of the crimp sleeve and the second end of the rear body at a stop surface defined by the die set so that a plurality of raised ribs at the crimping station align with gaps between the series flattened structures on the rear body;
- and
- crimping the crimp sleeve using the die set including forming a series of interlocks between the crimp sleeve and the flattened structures of the rear body.
-41. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.